[Sidenote: 1425 / NOV. 5]
Right worthy and worshepefull Sir, I recommaunde me to yow, and thank
yow for the good, trew, and diligent labour ye have hadde for the matier
betwen the Priour of Bromholme[21.3] and his commoigne[21.4] apostata,
Johne Wortes, that namythe hym self Paston, and affermith hym untrewely
to be my cousyn. [I have many pouere men of my kyn, but so fals, and so
pouere,--but he was nevere of my kyn.][22.1] God defende that any of my
saide kyn shuld be of swyche governaunce as he is of! Maister John
Ixworthe told me that he hadde lettres fro a frende of yowres in the
courtt of Rome, that is of the seyd prioures counseill in this mater as
ye be, whos name I knowe nought, specifyeng that the seyd John Wortes
adversarius prioris desperat in causa et concordiam quærit. It is told
me sithen that the seyd John Wortes is in the cite of Rome, sacred a
bysshop of Irland, videlicet episcopus Corcagensis, wherby it is seyd
here that his pretense of his title to the priourie of Bromholme is
adnulled, and voide in your lawe. The seyd John Wortes, and a contreman
of myne in the seyd court, Maister John Urry, have sent me lettres,
wherof I sende yow copies and a trewe instruccion of the seyd matier
closed with this bille, the whiche lettres and the matier ther of me
semyth mervaillous and straunge. A prest of Norffolk, that spak with yow
in Julie or August last passed, told me that he yede with yow to the
cardinales hous, Trikaricensis,[22.2] to espie if any swyche processe
were sued ageyn me as the seyd lettres specifien, and that ye told the
same prest at alle tymes ther was than no swiche processe sued, ne had;
the whiche relacion I trust and beleve bettre than the seyd lettres.
I have, by advys of counseill, in makyng a procuracie _ad agendum,
defendendum, provocandum, et appellandum_ to yow and the seyd Maister
John Urry and the Wynsalaw (?) de Swysto; and also a general appelle,
the engrossyng of wyche the messager of this bill myght nought abide;
the whiche procuracie and appelle I shal sende to yowr persone,
tantummodo [cum pecuniis],[22.3] with moneye onward, on trust. My will
is, ye have the chief governaunce of this matier, and that this article
be counseille [_i.e._, secret]; wher upon I prey yow hertily to be
saddely avysed in these matiers, and, as nede is, so to governe hem by
your wysdom, that the seyd prioures estat and honeste, and myn also, to
yowr worshepe be saved; and that, in alle haste resonable, ye lyke to
sende me redes lettres of alle the seyd matier, and the circumstances
ther of, and who ye wil I be governed in this mater. I was nevere
somouned, ne never hadde tydynges of this matier but by seyd lettres and
other fleyng tales that I heve herd sithen, ne nevere hadde to do more
with the seyd John Wortes than is specified in the seyd instruccion. Al
myghty God have yow in His governaunce. Writen at London, the v. day of
Novembre.